


Tangled Threads

by ShippingLord



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, fire emblem fates
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Boys In Love, Civil War, Death, Evil Corrin, Evil Female My Unit - Freeform, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Light Angst, Love, Love Triangles, Multi, Royalty, Sibling Love, Unrequited Love, War, a little smut, just a bit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-09-19 09:39:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9433334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShippingLord/pseuds/ShippingLord
Summary: A civil war strikes deep into the royal family of house Nohr. With their kingdon, Nohrse, at stake, Corrin forges an allience with a ninja clan at the price of an arranged marriage. But will this marriage truly help her family, or will it usher it into destruction?





	

I.

 

“Don’t you think you’ve overdone it?”

 

A sullen voice came from Corrin’s older brother, Xander, tearing her away from intense focus. Her eyes shifted their gaze from the letter on her desk, to Xander’s furrowed brow, and then down to his black colored vest in playful awe. 

 

“Is that what everyone is thinking? I don’t think I did anything wrong.”  
-She answered his question.

 

“Announcing your marriage to a man we barely know? Did you even ask permission from our father, the king?”

 

-He lashed out at her, pouring his anger over her innocent heart. He was torn between his affection towards her as a woman and as his sister, and couldn’t help the flash of jealousy that tainted his mind. Of course, recently it had been discovered they weren’t blood siblings but, still, it would be inappropriate because they’ve been together since childhood. 

 

“I thought this was a good idea? The man I am to marry is the leader of a ninja village. He will aid us in the civil war once I am his wife and offers to serve the royal family by becoming part of our country.”

 

“We don’t need his village’s help, and we could’ve annexed the village without having to form a marriage alliance. I…”

-Xander sighed deeply knowing his dear sister had already made up her mind and would not be convinced otherwise. It was late and he was tired, it made no sense in fighting with her over something that made sense.  
“Big brother, it’s alright.” -She gets up from her chair and walks dangerously close to him. – “I’ve met the man and spoken to him, and no offense but, conquering a village who is trying to help us in time of war is a horrible idea.” 

 

Xander stepped away from his little sister before he did something he’d regret, pacing slowly as to not show any suspicion of his tension. 

 

“So you don’t know him.”  
-He sighs.

 

A lock of silvery white hair grazed his shoulder, taking him by surprise, Xander froze into place. Corrin had raced to embrace him and, standing on her toes, she leaned onto his neck nuzzling it. Softly, she breathed in his scent and a few bits of scattered memory of their childhood reached her thoughts. She remembered the games they used to play in the garden, how he used to fuss over her safety, how easygoing he was as a boy, and how much he’d changed. The burdens of being the crown prince must have taken a toll on him, she thought. 

 

“I promise you this is a good thing. You won’t regret this alliance; I’ll make sure of that. Besides, father already agreed to it.”  
-She released her gentle grasp on him and turned back to sit on her chair.

 

Xander fought to compose himself, he wanted to take her into his arms and convince her to stay with him, but he knew she didn’t feel the same way about him. If he confessed to her it would endanger her life in court, and break their relationship forever. She wasn't blood related to him and his siblings and it was a secret that could destroy her.

 

“Goodnight, little princess.” 

-He avoided her eyes and turned away, leaving the room. 

 

Corrin’s eyes glowed a melancholic longing at his back, just seconds before the door shut. She collapsed the second he was gone. Her heart roared with angst, watering her eyes and making her lips quiver. She will not see him ever again after her wedding, that’s what she promised herself and why she planned this marriage. She whispered his name in secret, yearning for his touch, but knowing it is wrong. After leaving her home she would only have memories to remember him by. She could dream of his golden mane and hold onto the illusion that he will be with her wherever she goes. But it will be a lie and fleeting like gossip at court. 

 

The next day was a chilly summer morning with shiny water droplets hanging from the trees that adorned the castle garden. The bright greenery surrounded the gravel paths carved into the land, giving it a sense of wonder and peace, something the Nohr family lacked in the time of war. The duchies in the north had rebelled against the royal family the moment peace was made between house Hoshido, lords of the duchy in the grainlands, and house Nohr. The nobles in the north raged at the king's pardon for the Hoshido's withhold on the grain's delivery, even though their lands are full of rich harvest every year. Some think it was done on purpose, which is the cause of the civil war, while others think it was a simple mistake. Whether it was a mistake or not, almost half the country is fighting against the royal family.

 

"Is it time yet?" -A sleepy young girl dressed in white addressed her sister. 

 

"Not yet, Sakura. Keep your chin up, the king might not be here but his nobles are watching." -She breathed in, cold air filling her lungs. 

 

Sakura looked at her sister, her short cropped fiery hair danced with each winter breeze, and proceeded to match her sister's stance. She straightened her back, her arms at either sides of her body and her chin above gossips and dirty looks. She wasn't the confident warrior that her sister was, but she was no weakling either and did not offer any excuse to be disrespected. 

 

"It's cold here, even in the s-summer." -Sakura grumbled. 

 

Hinoka chuckled, her eyes filled with a loving gaze. She looked at her little sister, her hair, a gentler flame, grizzled in the humidity of the passed rain. 

 

"It's because the royal castle is close to the north. It's not like our home down in the south, where the summer heat is scorching. I should remind our older brother to reduce the work hours on the fields." -Hinoka said to her sister. 

 

"R-Ryoma will understand, he's a m-man of the people, remember?" -Sakura joked, her eyelids wrinkled with her smile.

 

A smile rose on Hinoka's lips at the memory of that moment. It was the day the king had made peace with Hoshido, he meant to insult her eldest brother by calling him a 'man of the people', but Ryoma had mistakenly taken it as a compliment answering with a genuine 'Thank you'. The king's face was twisted in embarrassment and his usual pale complexion was as red as Hinoka's hair. He left Hoshido’s duchy in haste, careful not to tip over the newly acquired peace in a pitiful one sided squabble. It marked her and her siblings forever, creating an inside joke within her family.

 

“You’re right, he’s a good man too.”  
-Hinoka said, barely able to hide her smile.

 

“Garon of house Nohr, king of the Nohrse kingdom, has arrived.”  
-The voice of what looked like a young squire booms throughout the garden, alerting anyone in earshot. 

 

Sakura and Hinoka turned their sibling talk aside and straightened their back for their king. Sakura’s heart was beating rapidly, showing no signs of slowing down. Hinoka grasped her sister’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze until her breathing calmed down. When the king showed, she let go of Sakura’s hand and bowed alongside her sister. They were both intimidated but showed nothing of the sort.

 

“The Hoshido siblings. You may rise.”  
-The king said.

 

Both sisters lifted their heads, but their eyes did not stray from the ground.

 

“And your brothers?”  
-The king asked.

 

“My liege, my brothers are at home in the grainlands. Ryoma is still arraigning our younger brother’s, Takumi’s, journey to the royal castle as you commanded it. He will be squired by a man of your choosing.”  
-Hinoka bowed.

 

“I commanded him to be here this day, as you and your sister are. What is the point of making an oath if it is to be broken right away? Is this alliance not important enough for your family?”  
-The king roared. 

 

The nobles muttered and whispered amongst each other, the king’s anger was not to be trifled with. 

 

“If I may speak my mind, sire.”  
-Hinoka requested.

 

“Speak it, and I will listen.”

 

“If I recall correctly this is no time to be pressuring us, we are of the few still loyal to you, my liege. I suggest your majesty consider giving us more time to recover from our previous dispute with the royal family. We swear to you, my liege, we will keep our oath.”  
-Hinoka stayed as calm as she could force herself to be, but there was no ignoring the defiance in her voice.  
There was a long pause before the king spoke. He played with his fuzzy white beard for a second and then cocked his chin towards Hinoka.

 

“If your brother does not arrive in a fortnight, the alliance will need reassuring. An arranged marriage between our families, and as an apology gift for his tardiness I require you provide a handmaiden for one of my daughters.”  
-The king spoke without room for interruption.

 

“Who would your majesty require for the marriage?”  
-Hinoka stared in shock. 

 

“It is a decision I will make only if your brother does not come, and I am not inclined to inform you on these matters as you are not the head of your house.”

 

Hinoka sighed, frustration leaking out of her. 

 

“My liege.”  
-She said.

 

“We are done here. I expect my daughter, Corrin, receives her handmaiden by midnight tonight.”  
-The king stands from his chair, and leaves.

 

Sakura stands speechless.  
“We have to rush him. Takumi can’t keep toying his way around the king.”  
-Hinoka stated.

 

“Hinoka, I can’t get married.”  
-Sakura looks at her sister giving her a knowing look.

 

Hinoka knew what it meant, a secret lodged deep in their bond, something only she knew. Sakura was not like most ladies in the court, batting their eyelashes at men they like. She didn’t even like men for that matter, but that never stopped Hinoka from loving her sister. She was only scared for her, Sakura is innocent in the acts of intercourse between a man and a woman, and one day she won’t be able to run from it. She’ll be forced to marry someone she doesn’t love, as is the fate of the nobles, and bare her husband’s children. If love ever makes space in her life, it’ll be dangerous for her and her lover.

 

“I know, I won’t let Takumi get out of this one.”  
-Hinoka reassured her sister.

 

Sakura sighed, clearing away her tears with her hands.

 

Far south of the royal castle, in the grainlands, the duchy belonging to house Hoshido bustled when the bell chimed noon. The farmers dropped their tools and hurried to get food from their pouches. Most of them, usually the most talkative, sat around a dead campfire in a circle swallowing their food without chewing. A young man, with perfumed clothes and long light brown hair walks past them with chaste. 

 

“Lord Takumi, what brings you down to the farmlands?”  
-An old man with tanned skin and a friendly voice speaks above the crowd.

 

“Business.”  
-He responds without looking back.

 

He speeds up walking past a few workers before finally reaching the storage house at the far end of the farms. He examines the number of merchants inside the building, finding only the usual red head with the ponytail. He strides past her over the counter and opens a door at the back. Ryoma stood inside, his arms crossed, his spiky brown hair reaching his waist, and talking with a small skinny man.

 

“Is it true what Hinoka wrote in that letter? I am to become a squire?”  
-Takumi shouted, interrupting Ryoma’s conversation.

 

“Yes, Takumi.” -Ryoma sighed, tired.- “I meant to tell you this earlier but time forbade me. I have been too busy making sure our mistake does not happen again.” 

 

“I am of a noble house, not the son of a pig herder. I will not answer his commands.”

 

“If you do not honor the oath we made to the king, he will force us into an arranged marriage. Do you know what that means? If he so wishes it he can take our home by changing the line of succession to his child. Whomever we marry will receive all of our titles.”  
-Ryoma took his younger brother by the collar.

 

“He can’t do that, the laws of succession”

 

“Can be changed if he so wills it. We’re at war with most of the country, who will care if he takes our lands?”  
-Ryoma interrupts, and lets him go.

 

Takumi drops as does his world. 

 

“Prepare for the journey today, you leave at first light tomorrow.”  
-Ryoma bids the small man goodbye and walks out the door.


End file.
